Naples – A Sunday of sport turned into a logistical nightmare. The "Napoli City Half Marathon" on February 22nd left a trail of controversy that shows no signs of abating.
Leading the protest are the taxi drivers' unions, SITAN/ATN and Unimpresa, who in a harsh note addressed to Transport Councillor Edoardo Cosenza and the Prefect of Naples, denounced the total collapse of urban mobility.
A city split in two
According to trade union representatives, the management of the event led to a "total paralysis" that continued well after the sporting event. The heart of the protest isn't about the event itself—the unions clarify that they aren't opposed to promoting Naples' image—but rather the lack of strategic planning.
The marathon effectively isolated entire neighborhoods, making tourist hotspots inaccessible, and even more seriously, waterfront hotels. "Many tourists risked missing flights and trains," the unions complained, emphasizing how the entire non-scheduled public transportation sector was left stranded by diversions and endless traffic jams.
The accusation: "Unacceptable technical underestimation"
The union document points the finger at what it calls "emergency management" of traffic. Naples, with its notoriously fragile infrastructure, cannot afford an event that cuts across the city perimeter without a special mobility plan.
"It is no longer acceptable to sacrifice the city's operations on the altar of the event," reads the statement signed by P. Ottaviano (Sitan/Atn) and R. Serpico (Unimpresa). "What decongestion plan has been developed? What measures have been adopted to limit private traffic?"
Economic and image damage
For taxi drivers, Sunday's toll is extremely heavy: significant financial losses due to the inability to work and a damage to the international image of a city that relies entirely on tourism. Unions highlight the inconvenience suffered by "vulnerable users" and those requiring quick connections to Capodichino Airport and the Central Station.
The demands: Technical roundtable or it will be a legal battle
The industry doesn't intend to sit idly by. Trade unions have already announced their intention to consider seeking compensation for workers in the sector. Their demands for the future are clear:
An institutional technical committee will be established immediately to plan upcoming events.
Preventive involvement of non-scheduled public transport categories.
Alternative route plans communicated well in advance.
"A modern city plans, a serious city listens," the statement concludes. If no concrete response arrives from Palazzo San Giacomo, taxi drivers are ready to take any union action to prevent Naples from once again becoming a city "seized" by major events.
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
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